Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 Review and Ratings

Editors’ Rating:

Our Verdict:
With its light weight, superb battery life, excellent keyboard, and pen input, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is the best productivity tablet we've tested. Just know that its performance is adequate only for typical office, Web, and communications functions. Read More…

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 Review

Introduction

Were the subject of this review a movie, we'd simply call it Tablet: The Resurrection—and it would be a rare case of a sequel far outshining the original. Indeed, the second time's the slate-shaped charm for Lenovo's business-focused ThinkPad Tablet.

When we looked at the original ThinkPad Tablet back in 2011, the concept that Lenovo built its business tablet around was completely different from today's iteration. That ThinkPad Tablet was an Android-powered slate that, while loaded with business-friendly features, was a bit heavy and chunky. More concerning, it was plagued by long boot times and occasional bouts of unpredictable performance. Plus, the pairing of what was then the still-new Android operating system and the venerable, business-focused ThinkPad brand seemed an odd couple, a bit premature.

Here in 2013, the ThinkPad Tablet has risen again, rebuilt, and the only resemblance to the original is in the name. Lenovo has dropped Android for a full version of Windows 8, and the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is powered by Intel's Clover Trail Atom Z2760 system-on-a-chip (SoC). It's the same SoC at the core of a host of recent Windows 8 tablet/convertibles, including HP's Envy x2 hybrid, Acer's Iconia W510, and Dell's Latitude 10. Mind you, that's no high-impact processor; the Atom SoC isn't up to running demanding programs such as Photoshop or video editors. But it handles document creation, media playback, and Web browsing just fine. And in exchange for the excess performance that you're not getting, you do get great battery life. (The ThinkPad Tablet 2 lasted just over 10 hours in our testing.)

The physical design, completely revamped, is all for the better. This tablet features a 10-inch screen, yet it weighs just 1.3 pounds—and it feels both pleasingly light and solidly constructed, a tough balance to achieve. It also sports a USB port and, on all but one model, support for stylus-pen input, with a stylus-stowage slot built into the chassis.

What really sets this productivity-focused tablet apart from the pack, though, is Lenovo's optional Bluetooth keyboard stand ($119). If nothing else, ThinkPads of all stripes are known for their stellar keyboards, and the one here does not disappoint. Paired together, the ThinkPad Tablet 2 and its keyboard stand offer simply the best typing experience we've ever had on a tablet device. Our only caveat here: You can't adjust the angle of the screen, since the keyboard doesn't physically dock with the tablet on a hinge; it just sits in a slot across its back. But that's a minor quibble.

If your productivity-task needs are light, and you want a device with long battery life that runs Windows, Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet 2 is flat-out the best option we've seen to date. Just note that, if you will need mobile-broadband connectivity, you'll have to opt for a pricey $949 configuration of the tablet, rather than the $679 review model we tested. And know that, in both cases, you'll still have to pay $120 extra for the keyboard. It doesn't come standard, but we consider it practically an essential companion for this tablet. It's that good.